Footwear



April 23, 1935- w. H. QoYcE. JR, 1,998,813

FOOTWEAR Filed Jan'. 3, 1954 2 'sheets-sheet 1 3 l J4 Z ATTORNEYS April23p 1935,

W. H. JOYCE, JR

' FOOTWEAR Filed Jan. 3, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNvENToR WILL/AM H.JUYCEAJR ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 23, 1.935

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOOTWEAR` Application January 3,

6 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in footwear construction and amethod of manufacturing the same. It is especially advantageous asapplied to low shoes such as slippers.

Broadly speaking, the invention consists in preforming a padded insoleunit around and to which the upper is thereafter lasted right side outin sucha manner that stitching may be dispensed with as a means foruniting said parts. The invention lends itself to various types offootwear such as the low heel type, the higher heel type, and the sandaltype.

My Objectis to provide a method of construction which will produceeconomically a shoe possessing long wearing qualities by reason of thefact that a heavier outsole can be successfully employed than hashitherto been possible in slippers of the padded sole variety in whichstitching and turning has hitherto been regarded as essential, and whichnecessarilyv called for a thin light-weight Asole material.

Another object is to construct a slipper that will possess the comfortfeatures of a` padded sole slipper while at the same time possessing theappearance of a more expensive hard soled slipper.

Again, by reason of the fact that the padded insole unit, which in thepreferred form includes a sock lining, is permanently built into theslipper, shuiiling and loosening of the sock lining with the attendingdiscomfort associated therewith is avoided.

A further object is to provide, at a minimum of expense, a slipperconstruction ofthe padded r sole type, which simulates in appearance themore costly type. These and other advantages will be appreciated andunderstood by the mechaniclskilled in this art from a reading of thefollowing description and an examination of the accompanying drawings inwhich I have set fortlrmyinvention in certain preferred forms.

In said drawings- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of -a nished slipper orshoe of the higher hard heel type, portions being broken away; Y

Fig; 2 is a side elevation of the slipper shown in Fig. 1, certainportions being broken away and shown in section;

Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a cross-section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of an assembled padded insole unit for thetype of slippershown in Fig. 1;

1994,1seria1 Ne. 705,946

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of my invention as applied to open or sandaltype slipper;

Fig. 7 is a cross-section of, the insole on the line 1-1 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of my invention as applied to the paddedsoletype of slipper having a soft low heel, a portion being broken away.

I represents the sole portion of the padded insole unit, which portionismade of any suitable material such as buckram. 2 represents a softpadding of suitable material such as felt, the same being permanentlysecured upon the portion I. 3 represents a sock lining of appropriatematerial. In that form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 5, the partsI and 3 are stitched together along their edges to securely hold thepadding 2 in place therebetween and so as to form a single padded insoleunit. The sock lining and padding terminate short of the extreme rearend or heel portion of the sole I when the padded insole unit is forslippers of the Wood heel type. 4 is a metallic shank stiilener usuallyof steel which constitutes part of the assembled unit when the slipperis to be of the aforesaid type. 5 is a cover for the stil'ener 4, saidcover being made of suitable material such as tough sheet iibre. Therear portion of this cover 5 is shaped to the contour of that part ofthe sole I to the rear of the padding l2 and serves the useful purposeshereinafter described. The shank piece 4 and cover 5 are mechanicallysecured to each other and to y the soleV I by any suitable means such asclinched staples which may straddle the piece 4 to hold it in place. 2represents a piece of padding which constitutes the heel pad the samebeing of the proper thickness and shape to cover the 'exposed portion ofthe shank cover 5. This piece 2 is suitably secured thereto as by cementand is provided with a sock lining 2" for the heel, which preferablyoverlaps the sock lining 3 for the shank when the slipper is completedas shown in Fig. l.'

As to the method of construction: Starting with a unit such as shown inFig. 5, said unit (minus the part 2') is tacked onto the bottom of alast. Cement is applied to the margin of theA unit on the exposed sidebefore or after tacking the same to said last. When the upper has beenfitted and is ready, the same is subjected to the lasting operation andthe lasting allowance 6-6 l is secured to the insole margin by anysuitable means such as cement, staples, or otherwise. In that form ofthe invention shown in Figs. 1 to 5, it is contemplated that a counterwill be used, the

same being indicated` at 1 (Fig. 4). Before the r heel padding 2 isapplied, the quarter portion of the upper with the counter assembledtherein may be lasted and clinched to the rear portion of the insole inthe usual manner, as by clinched tacks or nails 1 1. The parts at thisstage are now ready to be prepared for the usual outsole layingoperation. When prepared the outsole 8 is applied and securely andpermanently attached by any appropriate adhesive process employingpreferably a powerful waterproof cement. The last is then removed. 9 isa hard heel, preferably of wood, which is secured in place by anysuitable mechanical fasteners such as screws or nails IIl-I Il which maybe driven through the rear portion of the piece 5. The pad piece 2 andthe lining 2 are then securely cemented-in place.

In Fig. 6 I have shown a modification of my invention as embodied in aslipper of the open or sandal type, and in which it is highly importantthat the padded insole unit should present a finished appearance at theedges and throughout the area exposed to View through the open sides. Insuch a type of slipper, instead of uniting the members of the unitaround the edges by over- -stitching, such as shown in Fig. 5, I employany method which provides a smooth exposed edge. Such a padded insoleunit is shown in Fig. 7, wherein instead of securing the edges of thesole portion and sock lining by means of overstitching, I provide astripping II around the edge of said insole, which covers the edge ofthe padding and is suitably secured to said sole portion and socklining, thereby furnishing a smooth finished edge for the insole unit.I2 represents stitches which constitute onemeans for securing thestripping II to the sole portion and the sock lining. Inasmuch as thepreformed padded insole unit should be tacked to the last before theupper is lasted, and inasmuch as the upper is sometimes temporarilytacked to the insole, it is obvious that the removal of these tackswould leave holes in the sock lining, which, in the case of a high classsandal type slipper or shoe, would be objectionable. I may avoid thisduring the preliminary operation by using a piece of inexpensivematerial in place of high-grade sock lining material, and a lining ofproper material might be cemented in place as a final operation. In somecases. the preformed padded insole unit might comprise the sole I and apad 2 permanently secured together as by adhesive or stitches, in whichevent, if desired, a so'ck lining could later be secured in place.

Fig. 8 represents my preformed padded insole unit as applied to aslipperhaving a low soft heel, that is, not to be attached by nails or screws.In this case, the shank piece 4 and cover 5 are omitted, and the padding2 may be of one piece extending from end to end of the insole. As in theprevious cases, the upper is lasted right side out on the preformedpadded insole unit and the lasting allowance is gripped between themargins of the insole and outsole as previously indicated.

In all of the above forms, the area on the lower side of the insole Iwithin the edges of the lasting allowance may be filled in flush withthe surfaces of the latter by a suitable strip of material of the properthickness and outline so as to give the proper bearing for the outsole,such a filling being indicated at I4.

I claim:

1. As an article of manufacture, a shoe com-v prising, a preformedpadded insole unit composed of an insole piece outlined to the shape ofthe sole and heel portions of the shoe, a metallic mechanical fasteningsshank stiffener supportedlongitudinally thereon in the region of thearch, a shank cover comprising a piece of hard sheet material, the rearportion of which is shaped to the outline of the heel portion of theinsole with means mechanically securing together said parts, a paddingoutlined to cover the surface of said insole and shank cover butterminating short of the heel section of said cover, a sock lining abovethe padding and secured at its margin to the margin of the insole, anupper fitted and lasted to said unit, the lasting allowances beingsecured to the insole entirely around the edge of the same, that part ofthe lasting allowance underneath the heel portion of said shank coverbeing secured thereto by a mechanical means, a hard heel se-V cured tothe underside of the insole by means of mechanical fastenings whichpenetrate the heel portion of the shank cover, an outsole adhesivelysecured to the underside of the shoe and overlapping the adjacentportions of the lasting allowance, and a soft heel pad overlying andsecured to the heel portion of the shank piece cover, and a covering forsaid heel padding.

2. As an article of manufacture, a sandal type shoe comprising, apreformed padded insole composed of an insole piece, a padding supportedthereon, a sock lining overlying said padding, a

piece secured at its upper and lower edges re-A spectively to said socklining and insole piece to secure all of said parts together to formsaid padded insole unit, a fitted upper lasted to said insole unit withthe lasting allowance overlapping the outside margin of said insole andsecured thereto, said upper having openings in the side exposing theedge of said unit, an outsole covering the outer side of the insole andoverlapping the lasting allowance and permanently secured to the latterby adhesive.

3. As an article of manufacture, a shoe comprising, a preformed paddedinsole unit composed of an insole piece outlined to the shape of thesole and heel of the shoe, a padding covering all but the heel end ofsaid insole piece, a sock lining shaped to cover the padding and securedat its edges to the corresponding edges of the insole piece, a metallicshank stiffener'located longitudinally of the shank of the insole unit,a

cover therefor secured thereto and composed of a sheet of berlikematerial shaped at its rear end to the outline of the heel portion ofthe insole piece, a fitted upper including a counter lasted to saidinsole piece, the lasting allowances being secured to the margins ofsaid insole piece entirely around the same and including mechanicalfastenings in the heel zone, a hard heel secured to the underside of theheel portion by passing through said shank cover, and an outsole securedby adhesive to that part of the shoe forward of the heel, the margins ofsaid sole overlapping the adjacent margins of the lasting allowance.

4. The method of manufacturing a shoe comprising, providing a separatepadded insole unit comprising an insole piece, a metallic shankstiffener disposed longitudinally thereon in the region tix-ely aroundthe latter using mechanical fastenings at the margin of the heel portionof the shank cover, then securing an outsole and a hard heel to thebottom of the insole to cover the lasting allowance using mechanicalfastenings passed through the heel portion of the shank cover forsecuring the heel in place. then covering the heel portion o1' the shankcover with padding and covering the latter with a lining.

5. An article of manufacture comprising a. preformed padded insole unitcomposed of at least three layers oi' material including an insolepiece,

a sheet of padding supported thereon, a sock lining overlying said bodyand stitched at its margin to the margin of said insole piece, an upperlasted right side out to said unit with the lasting allowance envelopingthe stitched margins of said insole piece and sock lining and secured byadhesive to the insole piece in the ileld within its stitched margin;and an outsole piece secured by adhesive to said lasting allowance andsaid insole.

6. The method of manufacturing a shoe comprising providing an insolepiece, then placing thereon a sheet oi' padding, then placing a s'ocklining over said padding, then securing together the edges of saidinsole piece and sock lining, then lasting an upper right'side out tothe insole unit thus formed, then permanently securing by adhesive thelasting allowance oi' said upper to the lower margins of said insoleunit, then permanently securing by adhesive an outsole to said assembledinsole and upper.

WIILIAM H. JOYCE. JR.

